A step back in time: 1904 fire destroyed Herald Times offices

The headline from the May 20, 1904 The Champion, one of two newspapers published in Gaylord, said it all:

“McKinley’s Printery Burned to the Ground Friday Night. Together with the Arcade Livery Stable and Schuyler’s Restaurant”

The accompanying story described the downtown fire which destroyed the Herald Times and several other businesses:

“One of the most destructive fires that Gaylord has had in quite some time occurred last Friday around 11 p.m. At this hour a small blaze was discovered by the night cook at Schuyler’s restaurant in the adjoining building to the place where he is employed and he immediately gave an alarm to the fire department which promptly responded.

At first it was thought to be easily extinguished and the few men that were in the restaurant began to do what they could but it was soon discovered they were helpless as the blaze began to spread.

The Herald Office was totally destroyed. Not a thing was saved and the entire corner is in ashes. The loss is severe on H.C. McKinley as he had everything destroyed. This now makes The Champion the only paper published here.

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The Arcade livery stable was burned to the ground but the horses and buggies were saved. Charley Carpenter’s loss was considerable but he was insured for $2,000 and his loss is not as great as Mr. McKinley’s, who was insured for nearly $3,000. This is only a small amount of his office material and good will is considerable more than is insurance.

Mr. McKinley arrived home Monday morning from Detroit and states that he and his foreman will go at once to Chicago and buy an entire new office. In the meantime he has made arrangements to print the Herald in Cheboygan.

Mr. Schuyler’s loss is considerable as he was enjoying a prosperous business in his restaurant and pool room which were eaten up by the raging flames. Mr. Schuyler called at the Champion office Monday and states he will make arrangements to build at once at the old site a place that will be a credit to Gaylord.

He will have the new restaurant built so as to suit the most fastidious, including rooms where ladies can come and be courteously waited on. This will take some time and he hopes his friends and patrons will be with him as soon as he can make ready for them.

The fire is supposed to have started from a bonfire which was fanned by a brisk wind from the west. It soon spread to the Qua building, in which is located the opera house, which was crowded with spectators who were watching a performance of the “Midnight Express.” A man in the audience called “fire” which set the house into a panic and it looked for a time as though the crush would prove fatal to some of the audience. The building was saved and the excitement soon died out.

Walter Beckett, the insurance man, who occupied rooms over the Londgo home, had a total loss of personal property amounting to over $500 and numerous papers which were burned will not be able to be replaced.

During the fire Chas. C. Collins, who has charge of the water works, gave the firemen the best pressure that has ever been given to the firemen of this place. There is only one thing that is detrimental to his system and that is lights being lit when some of them should have been put out full during the fire. This has been demonstrated on several occasions and whenever possible every light that can be extinguished should be put out at once. This gives the water more pressure and will materially aid the firemen in their work. The next time we have a fire just try it and see.

While the fire is a setback to Gaylord it is only temporary as the building will be replaced in a more elaborate style than before.”